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This seems to be a relative of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium_maculatum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium_maculatum (spotted water hemlock vs poison h

This seems to be a relative of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium_maculatum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium_maculatum (spotted water hemlock vs poison hemlock) This exists in Europe. Socrates used this plant to kill himself. Never ever touch this plant. Don't ask me how I know this. :-(

brookst 3y ago
Sorry, but now I have to ask how you know this…
- renewiltord 3y ago
  He's obviously Sacrotes, the AliExpress version, who ate spotted water hemlock instead of poison hemlock.
- Beijinger 3y ago
  Hemlock and Sun make a nasty pie: https://www.leben-und-erziehen.de/kind/gesundheit/riesenbaerenklau-verbrennung-14213.html https://www.leben-und-erziehen.de/kind/gesundheit/riesenbaer...
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
littlestymaar 3y ago
This is discussed by the article: > There are toxic plants that may kill you but will be nice about it. “Poison hemlock is much better,” says “Wildman” Steve Brill, a New York based foraging expert and tour guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of the edible and not-so-edible plants of the Northeast. “You just stop breathing and your heart stops.” Socrates, when choosing death over a life in exile as an old man, chose poisoning by poison hemlock. It was a gentle death. > Poison hemlock is related to spotted water hemlock, but, um, only taxonomically, not in the way its poisons affect mammals. Here is Brill’s explanation of what happens when you eat spotted water hemlock: > Every single muscle starts firing and contracting, so you have convulsions, you chew your tongue into ribbons, you vomit but then you can’t open your mouth because the jaw muscles are contracting 10 or 20 times as hard as they normally do, and you die a horrible death
anonreeeeplor 3y ago
Which one. Both?
- angiosperm 3y ago
  Socrates used regular poison hemlock. He would have recommended not using spotted water hemlock for anything but on his political enemies, who had a point.
throwbadubadu 3y ago
Though the effects of both poisons couldn't differ more.. gentle death one might choose in certain circumstances vs death you wouldn't even wish your worst enemy. Recommend reading the article, not only because of this detail and that your "seems" would have become certainty before posting, it has even more nice points ;)
sudobash1 3y ago
The article mentions that spotted water hemlock is not particularly common, but unfortunately the same cannot be said for poison hemlock. It is a omnipresent weed around here (Pacific Northwest). And it remains poisonous for years after it dies, which makes disposal a problem. This also is a huge issue if it gets into a hay-field. I have heard that some people have tried to burn it, with very poor results. Also, in this terrible plant family is Cow-Parsnip. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_maximum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_maximum. If touched, it causes your skin to be excessively sensitive to the sun. It is basically reverse-sunscreen.
- angiosperm 3y ago
  Let us pass silently over hogweed.
  - jorvi 3y ago
    In Dutch this plant family is nicknamed “Bear claw” for the damage it can do.
dilyevsky 3y ago
There’s also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_(plant) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_(plant) from the same family (carrots). If you touch it and go in the sun you get crazy sunburns. It is an invasive species common in eastern europe (ukraine, russia) where it grows out of control and apparently has been detected in 16 states here
penguin_booze 3y ago
Semi-serious question: can I keep a poison hemlock as pet, just in case I need it in the future? I.e., are there laws around growing the plant, just like it'd be for marijuana? Also, are there more details on Socrates' intake of the said plant--any particular recipe or precautions?

brookst 3y ago

Sorry, but now I have to ask how you know this…

renewiltord 3y ago
He's obviously Sacrotes, the AliExpress version, who ate spotted water hemlock instead of poison hemlock.
Beijinger 3y ago
Hemlock and Sun make a nasty pie: https://www.leben-und-erziehen.de/kind/gesundheit/riesenbaerenklau-verbrennung-14213.html https://www.leben-und-erziehen.de/kind/gesundheit/riesenbaer...

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

littlestymaar 3y ago

This is discussed by the article: > There are toxic plants that may kill you but will be nice about it. “Poison hemlock is much better,” says “Wildman” Steve Brill, a New York based foraging expert and tour guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of the edible and not-so-edible plants of the Northeast. “You just stop breathing and your heart stops.” Socrates, when choosing death over a life in exile as an old man, chose poisoning by poison hemlock. It was a gentle death. > Poison hemlock is related to spotted water hemlock, but, um, only taxonomically, not in the way its poisons affect mammals. Here is Brill’s explanation of what happens when you eat spotted water hemlock: > Every single muscle starts firing and contracting, so you have convulsions, you chew your tongue into ribbons, you vomit but then you can’t open your mouth because the jaw muscles are contracting 10 or 20 times as hard as they normally do, and you die a horrible death

anonreeeeplor 3y ago

Which one. Both?

angiosperm 3y ago
Socrates used regular poison hemlock. He would have recommended not using spotted water hemlock for anything but on his political enemies, who had a point.

throwbadubadu 3y ago

Though the effects of both poisons couldn't differ more.. gentle death one might choose in certain circumstances vs death you wouldn't even wish your worst enemy. Recommend reading the article, not only because of this detail and that your "seems" would have become certainty before posting, it has even more nice points ;)

sudobash1 3y ago

The article mentions that spotted water hemlock is not particularly common, but unfortunately the same cannot be said for poison hemlock. It is a omnipresent weed around here (Pacific Northwest). And it remains poisonous for years after it dies, which makes disposal a problem. This also is a huge issue if it gets into a hay-field. I have heard that some people have tried to burn it, with very poor results. Also, in this terrible plant family is Cow-Parsnip. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_maximum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_maximum. If touched, it causes your skin to be excessively sensitive to the sun. It is basically reverse-sunscreen.

angiosperm 3y ago
Let us pass silently over hogweed.
- jorvi 3y ago
  In Dutch this plant family is nicknamed “Bear claw” for the damage it can do.

dilyevsky 3y ago

There’s also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_(plant) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_(plant) from the same family (carrots). If you touch it and go in the sun you get crazy sunburns. It is an invasive species common in eastern europe (ukraine, russia) where it grows out of control and apparently has been detected in 16 states here

penguin_booze 3y ago

Semi-serious question: can I keep a poison hemlock as pet, just in case I need it in the future? I.e., are there laws around growing the plant, just like it'd be for marijuana? Also, are there more details on Socrates' intake of the said plant--any particular recipe or precautions?